Roche
Tucked neatly against Fairpeak, The Barony of Roche is a shattered land of mountains and canyons. The land is rich with natural minerals and metals which as a result have given the region a considerable amount of prosperity and wealth. Rocky and arid like the rest of Wanduke, Roche tends to suffer dry and bitter winters and cool summers. Due to the harsh climate, most settlements are found at lower altitude with only a sparing few residing on the mountains themselves. It is ruled by House Tork. Petram Hold is an ancient Dwarven holdfast built into a mountainside. Once conquered and looted by the Horde during the First War, it was later recaptured by humans after the resettlement of Stormwind. The Torks have scarcely modified it from the original layout, seeing no reason to change what isn’t broken. Indeed, Dwarven architecture and design is quite sturdy and suits the needs of the Torks well enough. The interior is fairly typical of Dwarven design, including ironically high ceilings and geometric accents to nearly every surface. With more expansive halls than functional rooms, it is a very spacious fortress. Petram Hold, while small by comparison to the likes of Ironforge or Grim Batol, is nonetheless an extremely defensible location. Helgam is a foundry city outside Petram Hold, built in a human imitation of Dwarven architecture. Due to Petram Hold’s small size, it is unable to effectively house a significant civilian population, thus the city of Helgam was built. Square stone houses and bunkers serve as the primary structural style within the city itself, along with a few stout stone towers. The main economic engine within the city is metalworking. Though Redmayne produces vast quantities of finished steel and iron product, Helgam crafts higher quality steel products for custom orders. The finest armor in Westridge is forged here, though at great expense for any buyer ordering it. Blacksmithing is not the only profession mastered here in Roche. Redsmiths, silversmiths, and goldsmiths also produce speciality items. Helgam has a higher than average population of Dwarves due to close trade relationships with the Stoneframe Clan of Fairpeak. Bormac is an isolated resourcing town in the mountain foothills surrounded by quarries and mines. The town is steeped in work-ethic and hard labor, but it has a peculiar sense of levity about it. The town and people of Bormac are famous for their year-long competition known as “The Feats”. Participants in this tradition are subjected to a combination of martial combat, survival challenges, and other assorted demonstrations of physical prowess. The training Rites of the Ducal Guard are based upon this competition. Aside from their dangerous festivities, Bormac is the center for most resourcing operations in Roche. The many mining towns, quarry camps, and tiny mountain hamlets that dot the region all have some connection to Bormac. Pollar’s Peak, alternatively called Pollar’s Crossing, was originally a prospecting camp from Bormac. It has since developed into a traveler’s rest for those crossing the mountain pass into Fairpeak. Sitting in the shadow of a massive rock outcropping, it is a critical milestone indicating the halfway point to Graywatch. There are no roads leading to or from Pollar’s Peak, with the only way through the mountains being the narrow rocky trail carved by generations of traders. The only structure is a single inn that shelters those passing through. The Northgate is a ruined dwarven tunnel that lead from what is now Roche deeper into the mountain range. Where it ends is unknown, as the tunnel itself has long since collapsed and remains impassable.Category:Lore Category:Westridge Category:Holdings